West Berkshire Brewery

Founded in 1995, this microbrewery based in Yattendon in Berkshire offers “real ales” using traditional brewing techniques, available for home consumption and licensed trade. Run by Dave and Helen Maggs, this husband and wife team have seen the brewery go from strength to strength in recent years, increasing their output by over 250% since the company’s inception. The brewery has experienced success in their field since their early days, however, with the Maggs’ winning their first award within a year of operation. The brewery has won over 25 awards in all over their 17 year history.
 

West Berkshire Brewery has built up a good reputation based on their high quality beers, good customer service and niche market, independent values. The Maggs’ really know their stuff when it comes to beer – they are consummate brewing professionals with a micro approach to sales, marketing and industry. Everything from their bottles to the names of the beers, to the places the beers are sold is thought out with their brand’s specific market in mind. West Berkshire Brewery beers have thus a perfect market position, appealing to crusty real ale fans and younger drinkers alike. Indeed, there is a greener market discovering the flavours of traditional brews at present, and WBB’s clean, quirky labels with just a hint of traditionalism appeal well to this set. As such, you can find WBB beers all over the county (and beyond), from gig venues and student watering holes in Reading to gastro-pubs in the sticks. The beers all have marvellous names as well for that added kick of indie charm, including “Old Father Thames”, “Good Old Boy” and “Dr. Hexter’s Healer”. They also do special edition beers, including one for last year’s royal wedding, another planned for the diamond jubilee. They even have a limited edition beer of the month – April 2012’s is the fantastic “Pig and Tea”, a dark beer with hints of coffee and chocolate. 

West Berkshire Brewery make malty, full-bodied bitters, milds and ales, available in casks, bottles and polypins, all of which are available to mail-order online. They also have a brewery shop where you can purchase t-shirt, bar towels and glasses, amongst other things. The brewery also acquired The Rising Sun pub in Stockcross in 2005, which won the CAMRA Berkshire pub of the year award in 2007. The brewery also has strong environmental ethos, employing sustainable brewing techniques and business attitudes, sourcing their resources locally when possible, and supporting the local economy. Cheers!

http://www.wbbrew.com/next.html

Clara Francis

Jewellery designer Clara Francis creates beautiful, intricate and delicate necklaces, bracelets and earrings from thousands of tiny glass beads. These opulent and luxurious yet subtle creations take distinct inspiration from the British countryside – of 1930s’ studies of flora and fauna, of old watercolours and line drawing studies. There is a certain eclectic vintage charm in each Clara Francis piece – a bit Dr. Parnassus, a bit Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, vague gothic and faintly magical. Think foxgloves, sleeping beauties, hummingbirds, hot air balloons, dark woodlands, ornate gilded frames and wax seals.

After working as an actress for a number of years, Francis picked up jewellery making – initially just designing for friends and family, and then moving on to having her own stall at Spitalfields fashion market. She is entirely self-taught, and initially all her jewellery was crafted by Francis herself. She now heads up a team of five highly skilled assistants, developing all the designs herself. 

From such humble beginnings on a market stall, Clara Francis’ jewellery has now skyrocketed to dizzying heights. Harvey Nichols snapped up her first official collection, and her pieces have also been exhibited at London Fashion Week. Even more excitingly, Francis was recently invited by the Victoria and Albert Museum to design a piece for their exhibition “Cherry on the Cake”, along with many other prestigious designers including the talented and eccentric Grayson Perry. This had led to sterling coverage in the likes of Vogue, Marie Clare, Grazia, Cosmopolitan and Elle, as well as a celebrity fan base including the very hip Alexa Chung.

Clare Francis pieces range from £60 - £250. Each item is handmade in London, and takes anywhere between 3 and 22 hours to make, so you really are investing in a skilled crafts-person’s time. Each item is a piece art and fashion that will never date or age, making for an ideal present for a birthday or anniversary, or as a personal reward for a promotion perhaps.

http://www.clarafrancis.co.uk/openingpage.html

Tara Starlet

For fabulous and feisty vintage inspired fashion with a heavy 1950s vibe, you need look no further than Tara Starlet. Tara Starlet is a boutique fashion line offering classic, timeless attire, with a special focus on glamorous, chic skirts and dresses. Inspiration is taken from 1950s’ silver screen idols such as Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn and Elizabeth Taylor, resulting in clothes that are sexy, vibrant and vivacious, whilst retaining a significant edge of class and subtly. Think rockabilly fashion meets Betty Boop meets 1950s’ pip-up paintings, and you are along the right lines. 

These clothes have a decisively fun edge to them. They are certainly beautiful, but they are also robust and well-made enough for everyday life. There are playsuits for picnicking in the park, dresses for rolling in cornfields, blouses for frolicking on the beach, and lingerie for seducing. These sartorial choices are not simply for looking pretty – they are for enhancing and enabling natural feminine allure and vigour.

Tara Starlet is now predominantly run by Tara Scott, although her mother, who is still involved in the company, initially set up the business. The timeless ethos of the company’s clothes has been with them since inspection, and goes far deeper than brand marketing. Tara Starlet’s clothes intend to make strides against throw-away fashion, instead taking further literal influence from a era when clothes were valued and cherished - where buttons were sew back on if they fell off, where “make do and mend” had real meaning. As well as making clothes to a very high standard to ensure each item will last, Tara Starlet recycle where possible, use end of roll fabrics, and re-use original buttons and trimmings for that extra snippet of authenticity. Clothing is often made from original patterns, and are produced on short-runs, making items borderline original. Put it this way, it is highly unlikely anyone will be wearing the same item as you on the bus or train! Finally, all clothes are designed and made in London, so each item has a low carbon footprint.

Tara Starlet have an online shop, and are stocked at various boutiques across the UK and Europe. A small selection of their line is also available in the concessions department of Topshop’s flagship store in Oxford Circus. Items can be a little pricey, but as always, you can pick up some excellent bargains in the sales. It is also important to remember that these items are so well made and classic that you could still be wearing them in 10 - 15 years time, and are therefore worth a bit of extra investment.

http://www.tarastarlet.com/index.html